Hello all,
This email wasn’t planned, but Gaston, the delightful human who runs Poe Fortnightly, brought it to my attention that today is World Poetry Day. Accordingly, I wanted to share a poem by Dante. The sonnet, entitled Spirit of Love, is below. If you want to read other translated poems by Dante, you can find some here.
Spirit of Love
I felt a spirit of love begin to stir
Within my heart, long time unfelt till then;
And saw Love coming towards me fair and fain
(That I scarce knew him for his joyful cheer),
Saying, "Be now indeed my worshipper!"
And in his speech he laughed and laughed again.
Then, while it was his pleasure to remain,
I chanced to look the way he had drawn near,
And saw the Ladies Joan and Beatrice
Approach me, this the other following,
One and a second marvel instantly.
And even as now my memory speaketh this,
Love spake it then: "The first is christened Spring;
The second Love, she is so like to me."